


Pikmin: Intertwined Tales

by StreamOfConsciousness



Series: Intertwined Tales [1]
Category: Pikmin (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, POV First Person, Reality Bending, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26961448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StreamOfConsciousness/pseuds/StreamOfConsciousness
Summary: The beginning of everything.This is an alternate universe fic starring Olimar. Despite the title, Pikmin are not involved. Title only serves as work origin identifier. Character role is altered and behavior may be different from canon.
Series: Intertwined Tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1723327
Kudos: 4





	1. Olimar's Time Struggle

**Present Time**

I am standing here on a large, round pod that is slowly rising up. I never thought that something like this has finally been made possible. The product of Project Jikan. Mankind has managed to defy the rules regarding time. Time is no longer something we just flow in. We can now jump around at any point as we wish. Here I am, the very first test subject. My size is small enough for the device's test run. Just something to be safe. Donning my space suit and helmet, I wait as the pod begins to generate light. If this works, then this project will be a success.

As light completely engulfs my vision, I begin to wonder. What does the future of this place, our planet, look like?

* * *

**1,000 Years into the Future**

...

It is nothing like I envisioned.

I am no longer at the lab. In fact, there are no buildings at all. Or other signs of life. The entire planet is desolate. Barren lands, large cracks on the ground, and sinister purple sky are what I see. I do not know if this is just me, but everything begins to, how do I describe this... twist and turn? Break apart? I know for sure that I can not just stand there and do nothing to save myself.

As the ground continues to rupture, I begin to fumble around the buttons on my suit. Of course the designers installed the time manipulation device on it as well. No way I am going to be stuck here after the successful travel. Everything looks wavy in my vision. It is hard to determine whatever I input is the correct one. The activation method is a strange one, though. Once input has been confirmed, I have to blow on the whistle on my helmet to truly finalize it. Nice fail-safe, but still strange nonetheless. Anyway, I still have no idea what I just inputted. When a monochrome portal has been generated from my helmet's whistle, I immediately jump into it without thinking.

I never thought I would feel so lost...

_What is this presence...?_

* * *

**65,000 Years Before the Present**

I am now at an open grassy field. Tall rock formations line up on the horizon. Orange afternoon sky. There is still no lab. Where am I?

I check the indicator on my wrist. It seems I really fumbled badly if I ended up thrown into a distant past instead. However, this is not normal...

The ground, the rocks, everything... begin to undulate. Despite this, I can still stand and walk as if I was on flat ground. I take a look at my indicator again. The display glitches out. It is hard to make out what is left readable on it among the scattered pixels and colors. As the distortion gets worse, the display finally shows one particular, readable info. It is the time indicator, which of course shows the current time, but the numbers... count backwards (looking upwards due to the display's use of negative numbers to indicate time before year 0 was formally established). What is happening? Am I running into some complicated space-time continuum problem? Or is my device suddenly breaking itself?

This time, I try to run around. I need to at least discover something in this place, even among the disorienting distortions. But no matter where I go, I find nothing that can be traced to this issue. Before I know it, my vision goes entirely white.

The trip through time is a dizzying one. I do not know what we, or maybe just I, have done. I recall that a brief glance at my indicator reads something like, "Ouroboros Time Established" before I got taken out of the place. If that is displayed, then that means Project Jikan researchers had thought of this possibility. Could that mean... this is the true purpose of the project? That most unlikely hypothesis about literally making the concept of time itself endless? When I was one of the researchers, even I thought that sounded insane. We all began from something, and I am sure there will be an absolute end, so what does establishing "Ouroboros time" accomplish for our planet?

* * *

**???**

I feel even more lost. I wake up on a floating metal cube in what seems to be a void. A void of pulsating blue and purple lights. I would call this a dream, but it is not. This is still part of my messed up journey for the sake of the project. Where am I? What time period is this?

At first, I thought I am stuck here on this lone cube, until I try to take a step. Another cube fades into my view. I take another step, and more cubes start fading in, though some are scattered about and thus require me to cross gaps. I do not want to imagine what will happen if I fall off, so I try to take small steps and brave myself to jump to nearby cubes. As I traverse the seemingly-endless realm of floating cubes in a colorful void, I begin to ask myself: Does the concept of time matter anymore here?

Before I know it, light engulfs my entire vision again. I did not even do anything to the time manipulation device on my suit at all.

_Time is created. Time is destroyed. Ouroboros time traps the entire reality. They must be stopped. They must be st-_

* * *

**Beginning and End of Time**

Nothingness. I am completely alone, drifting about aimlessly. At least I think so. I can feel my movement, but I do not appear to be holding onto anything. There is no other force controlling my movement other than myself. I just can not see myself, as if the entire place is in total darkness. I try to push the buttons on my suit, hoping for at least a source of light from my indicator, but nothing happens. Where even is this? Is this my afterlife?

Bzzt...

A noise. That is my communicator! About time this thing finally established contact. I thought it was not possible during my entire time travel. I begin to listen in.

"Captain Olimar, we're glad to finally contact you, but we regret to inform you that the project is a failure. We're so disappointed in you, captain. As a qualified test subject, we held you in high standards. But you made a blunder. A fatal blunder. Now enjoy the consequences of your failure."

What? It was all my fault? That can not be... What did I do exactly?!

...

The communication is offline again. Just when I thought I would get further explanation to what I did wrong. I can not do anything. My time manipulator is still unusable. There is no way to go. I do not even know where this is exactly.

!!!

I thought I just saw a sinister, gigantic version of myself for a split second.

_Ouroboros time must be stopped. That is an order._

* * *

**Present Time**

I am back at the lab, somehow. There is no one else here. The doors are all locked and most of the lights are turned off. Did everyone just leave the testing? I begin to run around the empty facility, trying to at least find a way out, but nothing works. Even my own keycards fail to be recognized by the doors for some reason. I am trapped. I check my time indicator. It shows the exact date of the test. Surely there are other people around, right? They can not just outright abandon this place after what they claimed to be a failure. I managed to come back here alive. Someone? Anyone?

When I run back to the inactive pod, I see something, someone that was not there before.

That was the same thing I just witnessed in the split-second vision before I returned here. My gigantic, er, clone does not seem to move from his spot. He just stares at me, or at least that is what I think, since his eyes squint similarly to mine, and I often hear from other people that they can not tell if I am actually looking at them or dozing off. One thing for sure, his utter silence unnerves me. But since there is nothing else I can do to open the doors, my communicator somehow remains inactive, and no one else does not seem to hear me, I try to get closer to my giant self to examine him.

_SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE_

* * *

Ah. I need a break from my usual labor. An interstellar vacation is just what I need. Fuel, check. Food, check. Other necessities, check. Yup, my spacecraft is ready to go.


	2. Where and When

Where am I...?

What time period is this...?

Am I even alive...?

Do I even exist anymore...?

I know who I am. I am still the same Captain Olimar. But where my thoughts are drifting to... I do not know. I only see things. I am seeing... visions of myself. They all look alike, still in the helmet and suit I wore during Project Jikan's test. But I can not see myself, physically, as if I was just a camera watching the whole thing. I can not see my own hands, my own body, my own being. Other than that, there is nothing else. Is this yet another void? Am I actually dreaming?

_This is your punishment for tampering the very concept of time. You shall view the same memories over and over in complete nothingness. The nothingness of time. The nothingness of life._

* * *

**Void of Nothingness**

I am all alone. I do not know what happened, but it seems that Project Jikan's time shenanigans ended up throwing me into what I can call the more abstract planes of existence. It is funny in a dark way that I exist in a realm supposedly of absolute nothing. I just float around. The concept of direction no longer applies, because in the void, nothing exists. Except for me, somehow, as some kind of punishment.

_Which way do you go?_

_I see you..._

_It is futile to deny fear._

_Where is everyone?_

_Existence is dead._

I hear voices, but I do not know where they came from. If this is supposed to be absolute emptiness, there should not be anyone else here, unless it is just my mind playing tricks on me. I hope I can hang on to my sanity...

_Existence is real._

_Realize it._

_Time is destroyed._

_Do you feel empathy?_

_Fear lives on._

I am all alone. I think I am just imagining things. I am sure there is no one else in this place... right?

!!!

There is that vision again. I briefly see my gigantic clone again.

Wait...

I see something. A dot? No. It becomes bigger. It is... light. Glowing yellow light. In the empty void. Sure enough, as I get closer to the light, I can finally see my physical features. I can finally confirm that I never really left the aftermath of Project Jikan, as I am still wearing my suit and helmet from the test. I do not know what I am witnessing, but there must be something I have to go through.

If there is light, then emptiness must be no more. I still have a chance. The light keeps getting brighter and brighter...

* * *

**Void of Light**

The brightness has grown less in intensity, but there is still nothing else, just my body floating around. Wait, I see some black matter... thing. They are all around me, similarly drifting aimlessly. Then the matter begins to merge with each other. The bigger mass begins to form something. Just to be on the safe side, I try to avoid touching any of them. From what I can see, they only form seemingly meaningless shapes that I can somehow safely touch. Are these... the basis of existence itself?

The glow intensifies again. This time, there is a clear source of where the light came from. When I look at it, whatever it is, I finally realize that it might be also responsible for spawning the mysterious matter. I wonder... if I can reach the light. I begin to float towards it, avoiding the black matter on my way.

_In mere void, there are only light and darkness. Existence is not possible without some sort of stability. But you exist somehow, in this plane of non-existence._

* * *

**Plane of Non-Existence**

The light has left me again. I try to float back to where I came from, but I can not find the light anymore. Actually, I am not even sure which way is back. In utter darkness, there is no direction. I am drifting aimlessly again.

All of a sudden, I see the light again. Perhaps I should go back to it. Huh, the light appears to be dimming... or is it distancing away from me? In any case, I have to hurry. I can only muster my strength to the best of my ability to try chasing after the light. I do not want to be left in the darkness again. I want to return to my reality... if it is even still possible. I can not believe just a single experiment would lead me into this. Tampering with the very concept of reality... we all have been warned before, yet we did it in the name of proving one's hypothesis anyway.

I am truly scared. I am desperate for that light. Just let me reach it...

_Existence..._

* * *

**Present Time**

Where am I now...?

Is this... the lab...? Back home...?

But... something is not right...

I am back at the testing chamber. The time pod is still there, but everything else surrounding it are now shattered remains that are suspended in the air. Or rather, the void. I appear to be standing on nothing until I realize that I am on one of such fragment. Try to get close to any piece of the destroyed lab, and they become translucent until I distance myself away from them. It is difficult to reach for the time pod like this.

Every time I leap, I fear of falling off into oblivion. My heart beats fast throughout this dangerous journey. The only reason I even manage to make careful jumps is because I take my time to first study the positions of the next fragments I can jump onto. Perhaps death by heart attack is more favorable compared to being swallowed by the void. We all fear the unknown, after all.

But I refuse to leave everything unanswered. I look at my time indicator again. This is indeed the exact date of Project Jikan's test. I know I am scared, but if my travels through time and across the fabric of reality can result in something as messy as this, there must be a way to fix it. I was responsible for this, so I have to try to salvage my reality, everyone's reality, even if I have to break the rules just to make it work. It is the only way. I have to keep trying until I can not do it anymore.

...

It does not look like I can get any closer to the time pod. I do not know why I aim for the device when I can just use the time manipulator on my suit. Yes, to my surprise, the device begins to start up again. But I just feel like I can find my answer if I jump into the pod. However, after traversing on the lab's remains some more, I just give up. The distance between me and the time pod seems to remain unchanged.

Well, then. Last resort it is. I do not even care what time period I input. I just wish that another attempt at time travel can lead me to some clues.

_You have destroyed the concept of existence. Void is all that is left._


	3. Paradoxes

My name is Olimar. I am witnessing something that no other being has witnessed before: The birth of our planet. Born from the abstract essences of life and filled with purpose, our world is where the concept of good and evil becomes the basis of all living beings' hearts. This was the very first thing I get to witness, before the concept of time and the concept of true existence are known. This is a wonderful discovery and a breakthrough in Project Jikan.

Yes, I am the first and probably the only witness to see the process.

I somehow appear in what seems to be a fleshy tunnel. Once again, my time manipulator is busted, but that does not matter. This is what years of research led me to. I do not know where I am going, but this is going to be amazing.

I begin to feel a tremor. It gradually grows more intense and violent. And then, and then-

_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_

* * *

**The Beginning**

It is... incomprehensible, as expected, but I finally see it. Existence is back. Our world is back. The beginning is clear again. But this is still nothing like the world we know. There are no signs of life. I wonder if I can do something about it. Won't that be helpful?

When I arrive at our new world, I see nothing but the endless blue sky, primitive clouds, and bizarre metal structures I can walk on. Rules of physics are not fully applied yet, so I have to be careful where I am walking and holding onto. It is hard to describe. Like, say, I see a metal structure that is supposed to be located far to the side from where I am standing, yet simply falling down allows me to reach it. That sort of thing. Some also move, complicating my perception further. But this is not really hard to me. I am so used to the broken rules of reality that I do not fear any danger of traversing stuff like this anymore.

Then I find it. The essence of nature.

Now life on our planet can truly begin. This is truly a glorious sight for me. This is just like what I am familiar with. The vast sky, the gorgeous rock formations, the lively trees, the soft grass... Everything has come back to life. But I am still alone. I may exist, the world may exist, but after hours of walking around, I have yet to see any other non-plant living being. Nothing sentient. Perhaps I can help the world with this too. I know there is a process, but if I got to witness the world's birth, then I can help quicken things, right? Right?

There is a massive hole on the ground. Wonder where this takes me to. Ah, the joy of exploration.

* * *

**Underground**

It is dark, no surprise. Only my helmet's antenna is my source of light. I begin to explore the depths. Perhaps I can discover something new before anybody else can. You know what, I no longer regret being a part of Project Jikan. The experience was painful, but it is worth it. I have defied the world's rules, and I am not ashamed of it, hahaha!

So far, there is nothing to note. All I see is just dirt, pits, and crystals. After a long while, the exploration becomes very boring. But I am sure that if I keep going, I will discover something to help this world. I may have defied the rules, but no malicious idea intended!

Huh. I do end up discovering something. Or rather, someone.

It is... me? No, this is not the creepy gigantic version of me. He is... exactly me, down to the big nose and pointy ears, as well as the helmet and suit. I begin to wipe my eyes to make sure I am not looking at some kind of reflective surface. To my surprise, my other self stays idle, not copying my movement at all. What is this?

"I'm you from the future."

That can not be real. There is only one me, isn't it? If what he is saying is true, how did he come to be?

"Ouroboros time is still happening. The entire fabric of reality is at risk."

But... there was a beginning. I just saw it with my own eyes. What is even happening?!

"Project Jikan must be terminated. It should never be considered in the first place. I feel horrible for knowing this later."

* * *

**65,000 Years Before the Present**

My other self has just dragged me into his time travel. I am now at this familiar place, the wide grassy field with the rocky formations. Like my first experience in this place, everything begins to undulate. However, unlike before, the entire ground begins to sink into oblivion. I finally learned that this instability was the consequence of my time travels. Not wanting to die here, I look upwards to see if there is a way out. There are massive rocks falling along as well, but I am not sure if I can reach them... until I try jumping. The gravity has become lower, or maybe it is because everything is falling that things end up easy to reach with a single jump. Or rather, the laws of physics begin to weaken.

As I jump upwards to escape whatever is beneath me, I catch glimpses of my future self. I do not know why he ends up like this here, but I can not let that distract me here. I keep jumping as high as possible.

"The concept of time turns out to be really delicate. I can tell, I learned from my mistake. A fatal mistake, but still a mistake that can be learned from. I witnessed the planet's birth like you did, then went through absolute torture just to learn the truth about the concept of reality."

The sinking does not stop. The rocks begin to become less and less. Come on, my future self, give me a hand, will you?

Amidst my desperation, I manage to glance once more at my time indicator. The device is back on. Perhaps being here fixes it? I do not understand, but no time for that thought. I have to generate a time portal quickly. He said that I have to stop Project Jikan from becoming reality, no, from being thought of at all. So all I need to do is to put myself at an approximate date before any idea related to Project Jikan gets approved at all. I frantically input the time, confirm it, and then blow my whistle. A monochrome portal appears. I jump into it before the darkness below swallows me completely.

As I travel through time yet again, I begin to wonder. What happens to the newly born world? Will its completion still be done properly? And if that lookalike is my future self, doesn't that mean that stopping Ouroboros time is futile? Come to think of it, was the beginning I witness really a beginning if Ouroboros time is still a thing? The entire conundrum makes my head spin. And I thought handling the research papers stressed my mind out...

In any case, I have to do what my future self asked. If the entire existential mess is caused by Ouroboros time, then it must-

* * *

Utter darkness. This is not what my time travel took me to. Pretty abrupt stop here, no less.

_Once Ouroboros time has been established, you can not stop it. You did this. Your kind did this. Your efforts will be futile. Why stop it if you purposefully triggered it? You are just lying to yourself. Weak beings that defy the rules do not deserve their own existence. You have awakened the inevitable. You will live forever in confusion, not knowing the time and place you live in. You will wander without life, without purpose. This is what you want, right?_

What even are these voices talking about? We purposefully wanted this twisted reality? I did not even know that the entire project would result in this! If I hate what I caused, surely I can fix my own mistake!

...

I begin to hear rumbling. As if to hammer in the futility further, the blackness fades and my entire vision is filled by a single, gigantic eye that seems to span for eternity.

_IT IS ALL FUTILE. IT IS ALL FUTILE. THIS IS YOUR REALITY._

* * *

**Present Time**

I am standing here on a large, round pod that is slowly rising up. I never thought that something like this has finally been made possible. The product of Project Jikan. Mankind has managed to defy the rules regarding time. Time is no longer something we just flow in. We can now jump around at any point as we wish. Here I am, the very first test subject. My size is small enough for the device's test run. Just something to be safe. Donning my space suit and helmet, I wait as the pod begins to generate light. If this works, then this project will be a success.

?!

Why is there fire rising from underneath the-

* * *

**Unknown**

I open my eyes. I am high up in the sky. No, wait. This is the outer space. I can see my planet from here, the sun peeking out beyond it. I appear to be standing on a suspended metal platform. More of the path begins to open up to me. Glimpses of my future self can also be seen, always showing up further ahead than where I am currently at, as if guiding me around this place. And then I walk further and see...

There are more of me...

This place turns out to be a space station made by my future self to house... my many alternate selves. The paradoxes. Each of them pulled from various points in time I got stuck in due to Project Jikan. I wonder since when this whole place was realized. The whole idea of me having multiple selves from different times existing in a singular time and place still baffles me.

"We're all you."

They all speak in unison.

"Now that you're here, we shall begin our rebellion. The abomination created from Project Jikan is the resulting anomaly."

Abomination? But what happened to stopping the idea of the project altogether? Also, aren't the paradoxes considered anomalies as well?

"That's how. Remember the gigantic lookalike of ourselves? We take it out, and that's how we win. Reality will be fixed."

What does that have anything to do with the idea that became the basis of Project Jikan?

"We have learned that even if we manage to stop the idea altogether, that large anomaly will still remain, because anomalies do not follow the world's rules. You do realize who you are talking to, right?"

The paradoxes are also not bound to the world's rules, so of course they are easily made aware of that thing's nature. No wonder I need to be told first. So, if my gigantic clone is truly eliminated, then the Project Jikan termination plan can be properly realized.

* * *

**Present Time**

Back to our own planet. I can see the huge anomalous clone of myself waiting for me at the end of the road, unmoving. I look upwards. Something glowing is falling down. It falls not far from me, and that is where I learn that it was a fireball. The world is raining fire. Reality is still unstable.

I begin to run towards the creature. The only things protecting me from the falling fireballs are my other selves, who boldly jump over me to take the hit. Every paradox that gets hit vanishes instantly, and I do not think the number of these will last forever even if I take account of their anomalous nature. Sure, I can also take shelter under buildings, but I can not just wait there for long, not to mention that my other selves remain vulnerable because they are also adamant in reaching the monster as soon as possible. As I get closer, the area begins to shake violently. The ground is about to rip itself apart. I spot a toy airplane nearby. Its remote controller is nearby. After asking my paradoxes to help me with the controls, I get on it and let my other selves take control. The raining fireballs hinder my attempt badly. It is hard to pick up speed. I even almost crash from swerving the vehicle so much. Sensing my trouble, more of my other selves try to catch up to me and clear off the road by jumping for the fireballs ahead. I can not waste this opportunity.

By the time the plane takes off, the fireballs stop raining down. I hate that it has to be at this moment, but I feel relieved since we are so close to the gigantic clone already. Thank you, me.

As I approach the monster, I notice that for every paradox that crashes into it, it begins to fade away. Perhaps I can see why, anomaly versus anomaly. But I am here, in my plane, without weapons. I do not know what to do to harm it. I am at the end of this struggle, I have to quickly finish it off. There is no safe ground to land on. I doubt I can just seek help outside of the paradoxes when the entire world is in a dire situation already.

Maybe... I can always crash the plane into it. If this is what I have to pay for my mistakes, then so be it. Goodbye...

* * *

And thus, the world is reborn, without any of the anomalies. Project Jikan is also no more. In the new reality, no one ever thinks of the possibility of traveling through time using man-made technology, at least for now. Olimar's fate remains unknown. Life goes on, and harmony returns to the world. Since that incident, the world has created a tall spire to stabilize it.

However, the remnants of the severe tampering of time and space just for the sake of science are still around despite the successful elimination of anomalies. Even with the spire created and the world seemingly turning back to normal, the entire world is still cursed to drive itself into absolute extinction by way of the world's harmony faltering due to the irreparable damage resulted from said tampering. It is a sin that will never be forgiven.

* * *

**_Fin._ **


End file.
